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Giving Thanks

Today is Thanksgiving in the United States - a national holiday when we reflect on the things we are thankful for. Here are the things I am thankful for.

It's been 10 years since I parted ways with my 120g tank. The lessons I've learned from reefkeeping have been invaluable!

Terry Siegel, our Editor in Chief. How he hasn't won MASNA's Aquarist of the Year Award is beyond me. From Aquarium Frontiers to Advanced Aquarist, Terry has contributed so much to our hobby ... arguably more so than any individual I can think of. I am extremely thankful to Terry for founding Advanced Aquarist and marrying science with our hobby; I am honored to have the opportunity to work with him.

Shane Graber. Picture the worst coworker you've ever worked with. Now picture the exact opposite, and you've just described Shane: hard-working, intelligent, professional, ethical, easy-going. Without him, Advanced Aquarist's website would not be what it is today. Shane continues to do a wonderful job making sure our website is the most professional and polished reefkeeping website possible. I could not ask for a better running mate.

All our authors, past and present. I started typing out a list of all our authors, but it quickly dawned on me the list is WAY too long. So to all our authors, I apologize for not naming you individually; I am extremely thankful to each and every one of you for what you've contributed to AA and our hobby.

All our sponsors. No, I'm not kissing up to them. Their support really is what makes this website possible. We know our sponsors have many options to allocate their marketing allowance (especially in these trying economic times), and we appreciate they chose Advanced Aquarist.

The Advanced Aquarist community. Yes, this means you! I know publications aren't forum communities, but I feel a great sense of community with our writers and readers. Social media websites (Facebook, Twitter, and now Google+) help us all stay connected, and it's been a pleasure conversing with everyone through these interactive websites and our comment system. Our hobby is filled with good people!

Reefkeeping. I'm thankful for reefkeeping, not just because of all the enjoyment I get out of this hobby, but also because of all the life lessons it's taught me - both from a hobbyist and a writer's perspective. Topping the list: Patience, responsibility, stewardship, knowing the difference between "need" and "want," accuracy, honesty, respect, problem-solving, self reliance, and understanding when teamwork is better than relying only on yourself.

The Internet. Like many other things, our hobby was radically transformed with the dawn of the internet age. We often take for granted how quick and easy it is to find and share information, but it hasn't always been this way. I really don't know how I ever managed reefkeeping without online access. The internet has also made the world that much smaller; Instead of tiny, fractured local communities, we are now able to engage with aquarists around the world. Advanced Aquarists has readers from every continent except Antarctica (slackers!).

Coral Reefs. While Advanced Aquarist covers a wide range of aquarium topics, it is no secret reefs are what we are most passionate about. It's a bit strange to think about how invested people can be in ecosystems half a world away (places most of us have never visited), but I believe our hobby has given us great appreciation for one of the world's most compelling and beautiful ecosystems.

Bacon. Just because. Oh, and muffins of course. (Hi Sumpers!)

A few days break :) I'm going to take a couple days off for the first time since we started blogging (that is, if all goes according to plan, which being an information junky, it probably won't). Our other bloggers might blog though, so make sure to check back. We'll have a new Destination Reefs video on Sunday. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!